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Old Radio Times the Official Publication of the Old-Time Radio Researchers The Old Radio Times The Official Publication of the Old-Time Radio Researchers August 2008 2044 Subscribers www.otrr.org Number 33 Abbot & Costello 1 Abbott & Costello on the A Radio First 4 Radio Adventures of Sea Hound 7 Bruce Forsberg [email protected] Bing Crosby pt. 7 7 Johnathon Thomas 9 Crossword 10 One day when I was a child and could not News from the go out and play on a Saturday I turned on the Community 11 TV and looked through the channels and Publication Reviews stumbled on an Abbott and Costello movie. 14 This was my first introduction to Abbott and Costello and started an interest in the boys that Wistful Vistas 14 lasts to this day. Acquisitions 16 When I became more interested in Abbott Treasurer 19 and Costello I started to collect their movies on video tape. I then proceeded to collect their 52 episode TV show, done in the 50's, on video tape. After that I looked for more things to collect and that is when I learned that they said he would let Henny out of his contract if had done a radio show and so I purchased he found his replacement. He suggested that radio tapes from both Radio Spirits and Ted check out a duo called Abbott and Adventures in Cassettes and thus began my Costello performing at Loew's State Theater. interest in Abbott and Costello on the radio. Abbott and Costello were not an instant hit Having been in OTR now for over 10 years I on the radio and had to sign 21 one week looked for a way to give back to the OTR contracts with Ted Collins. Each appearance community. I found that most Abbott and consisted of Abbott and Costello performing a Costello fans focus on their TV and movie 5-10 minute bit. A couple of interesting items appearances and for OTR fans Abbott and from this period: People had problems Costello is not high on their list of interests. I distinguishing between Bud and Lou so Lou decided then to document Abbott and raised his voice in pitch to make it easier. The Costello's appearances on radio, an area that second is that during the broadcast Lou never has been overlooked. used a script. He would memorize his lines so Abbott and Costello began their career on that during the broadcast it would easier to ad CBS radio on the Kate Smith Show Feb 3, lib. Bud did use a script so he could get Lou 1938, and very few of these shows are known back to the script if needed. Abbott and to exist. The comedic talent on the Kate Smith Costello ended their stay on the Kate Smith Show at that time was Henny Youngman. He Show on June 28, 1940. wanted to go to Hollywood to perform in From this show Abbott and Costello movies. Ted Collins, Kate Smith's manager, became the summer replacement for the Hour The Old Radio Times * August 2008 * Number 33 1 of Smiles / It's Time to Smile program previously hosted from Fort Ord in California. This is of course the day that by Fred Allen. This was sponsored by Ipana-Sal Hepatica. Pearl Harbor was attacked. During the first show many of The sponsor wanted to reduce their program from an hour the men in the audience were called away to their to half an hour, as many programs were doing during this regiments. Since the men were called away to duty the time. Fred Allen wanted to remain at an hour so he show did not play to full houses. The last event occurred decided to leave for Texaco at CBS. The new host for the on Feb. 8, 1942. For this show Edgar Bergen was in the half hour show would be Eddie Cantor. The name also hospital and not on the show. Substituting for Edgar were changed from Hour of Smiles to It's Time to Smile . During Abbott and Costello. The advertising agency, J. Walter the summertime Abbott and Costello hosted the show Thompson, stated that Abbott and Costello did an starting July 3, 1940, for 13 weeks on NBC. The first amazingly good job. Although there is no proof of this, seven shows were done in New York with Harry Von Zell this might have been the event that got them their own as announcer and Peter Van Steeden as the orchestra radio show in October of 1942. They proved to the leader and the last six shows were done from Los Angeles advertising executives that they could handle a number with Frank Bingman as announcer and Felix Mills as the one rated radio show. The appearance of Abbott and orchestra leader. Benay Venuta was the singer for both Costello on this show ended on June 28, 1942. locations. The switch to Los Angeles allowed Abbott and Costello to start work on their first movie, One Night in the Tropics. On April 6, 1941 Abbott and Costello started on The Chase and Sanborn Program starring Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on NBC. Between the start of this show and the summer replacement radio show Abbott and Costello had filmed “One Night in the Tropics”, “Buck Privates”, and “Hold That Ghost” and were about to start “In The Navy” so the boys were hardly without work. Also it was at this time that they were at the height of their popularity. They were big box office draws and now they were on a number one rated radio show as well. By looking at the radio ratings at www.old-time.com/ratings one notes that the four seasons prior to Abbott and Costello appearing the show was 1 st , 1 st , 1 st , and 2 nd with 2nd being the 40-41 season. Abbott and Costello joined the later half of this season. The 41-42 season, the season in which Abbott and Costello were there for the full season, saw the show return to number one in the ratings. When Abbott and Costello left the show it was 4 th , 4 th , and 7 th for the next three seasons. Obviously Abbott and Costello were brought onto the program to boost the Chase and Sanborn program back up to number one which they did. Their appearance on this show was similar to the Kate Smith Show . They appeared On October 8, 1942 Abbott and Costello finally got a for about five minutes doing one of their routines. Several show of their own on the NBC red network sponsored by interesting events occurred during this period. The first Camel cigarettes. During 1942 they did two shows each event occurred on Oct 5, 1941. Edgar was doing the show week, one to the east coast and the other to the west coast. from Chicago but Abbott and Costello remained in Los Starting in 1943 they did one show live for both coasts. Angeles, probably to continue their film career. They had The first six months went very smooth with a guest star on to switch the broadcast to Los Angeles for them to do their every show. But then in March, 1943, Lou Costello got bit and then switch the broadcast back for the rest of the rheumatic fever and did not return until November, 1943. show. Lou missed two shows, Mar 11, 1943, and Mar 18, 1943, Then on Dec 7, 1941, the show was being broadcast before Bud called it quits until Lou was able to come The Old Radio Times * August 2008 * Number 33 2 back. On March 11 Bert Lahr substituted for Lou Costello ban on recorded music. Fortunately Abbott and Costello and on March 18 Hal Perry substituted for Lou. The only were ready for this, as were most people in the industry. other time, for the Camel broadcasts, the two did not They had their new band leader Matty Malnick record appear together was on Mar 20, 1947, when Hanley with Susan Miller 6 months worth of music before this Stafford substituted for Bud Abbott who had a bad case of ban went into effect. Abbott and Costello then hired Matty laryngitis. During this five year period Abbott and Malnick to play for each studio audience when the show Costello went through talent like crazy. They had was transcribed but this did not go over the air. This ban numerous band leaders including Leith Stevens, Freddie lasted for about a year. One highlight during this ABC run Rich, Will Osborne, Alan Roth, Carl Hoff, and Skinnay was a takeoff on the Sam Spade radio show that Abbott Ennis. The singers consisted of Connie Haynes, who had and Costello did called Sam Shovel. This was a five the longest stint, and also included Amy Arnell, Bob minute skit that they did at the end of the show with Lou Matthews, and Marilyn Maxwell. For announcers they had playing Sam Shovel. The last prime time show on ABC, Ken Niles, Jim Doyle, and Michael Roy. Jimmy and the last for Abbott and Costello, was on June 9, 1949. Wallington, Ernest Chapel, and Bert Parks did the announcing jobs during the four trips they made to New York. On the Jan 17, 1946 show Wendell Niles substituted for his brother Ken Niles as announcer. The two actors to appear the most on the show during this five year period where Elvia Allman and Mel Blanc. During this five year period Abbott and Costello only performed Who's on First twice. The Camel era ended on June 26, 1947.
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